Rocker component with tapered shape

Abstract

A rocker component for a vehicle includes a tubular beam having a transverse cross-sectional shape extending continuously along a length of the tubular beam. The transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an inboard portion that has an inboard height dimension and an outboard portion that has an outboard height dimension. The outboard height dimension is less than the inboard height dimension. The transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam also includes an upper planar wall and a lower planar wall that connect linearly between the respective upper and lower ends of the inboard portion and the outboard portion to form a tapered shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rocker component for a vehicle, the rocker component comprising:
 a tubular beam integrally formed as a single metal piece, the tubular beam having a transverse cross-sectional shape extending continuously along a length of the tubular beam; 
 wherein the tubular beam comprises a metal sheet formed to have a pair of adjacent tubular members that have hollow openings that are divided by a common center wall of the tubular beam; 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam comprises an inboard portion having an inboard height dimension and an outboard portion having an outboard height dimension that is less than the inboard height dimension; and 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam comprises an upper wall and a lower wall that connect between the respective upper and lower ends of the inboard portion and the outboard portion to form a tapered shape. 
 
     
     
       2. The rocker component of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sill inner; and 
 a sill outer coupled along the sill inner, wherein the tubular beam is disposed in an open volume between the sill inner and the sill outer with the outboard portion of the tubular beam facing the sill outer. 
 
     
     
       3. The rocker component of  claim 1 , wherein the inboard portion comprises an inner wall and the outboard portion comprises an outer wall, and wherein the inner and outer walls integrally connect between the upper and lower walls. 
     
     
       4. The rocker component of  claim 3 , wherein the inner and outer walls and the upper and lower walls together surround at least one tubular section that extends along the length of the tubular beam. 
     
     
       5. The rocker component of  claim 4 , wherein the inner wall comprises a planar section that is disposed at a transition angle of 45 to 90 degrees relative to the upper and lower walls. 
     
     
       6. The rocker component of  claim 4 , wherein the tubular beam comprises a common center wall that extends between the upper and lower walls and divides an interior volume of the tubular beam to form at least two tubular sections. 
     
     
       7. The rocker component of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of adjacent tubular members are disposed laterally adjacent to each other. 
     
     
       8. The rocker component of  claim 1 , wherein the metal sheet comprises a martensitic steel with a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa. 
     
     
       9. A rocker insert comprising:
 a tubular beam having a transverse cross-sectional shape extending continuously along a length of the tubular beam; 
 wherein the tubular beam comprises a metal sheet formed to have adjacent tubular members that have hollow openings that are divided by a common wall; 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam comprises an inboard portion having an inboard height dimension and an outboard portion having an outboard height dimension that is less than the inboard height dimension; and 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam comprises an upper wall and a lower wall that integrally connect between the respective upper and lower ends of the inboard portion and the outboard portion to form a tapered shape. 
 
     
     
       10. The rocker insert of  claim 9 , wherein the inboard portion comprises an inner wall and the outboard portion comprises an outer wall, and wherein the inner and outer walls integrally connect between the upper and lower walls. 
     
     
       11. The rocker insert of  claim 9 , wherein the upper and lower walls each comprise a planar section that angle toward the outboard portion. 
     
     
       12. The rocker insert of  claim 11 , wherein the inner and outer walls and the upper and lower walls together surround at least one tubular section that extends along the length of the tubular beam. 
     
     
       13. The rocker insert of  claim 12 , wherein the inner wall is disposed at a transition angle of 45 to 90 degrees relative to the planar sections of the upper and lower walls. 
     
     
       14. The rocker insert of  claim 12 , wherein the tubular beam comprises a common center wall that integrally connects with and extends between the upper and lower walls. 
     
     
       15. The rocker insert of  claim 9 , wherein the metal sheet comprises a martensitic steel with a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa. 
     
     
       16. A rocker component for a vehicle, the rocker component comprising:
 a sill inner; 
 a sill outer coupled along the sill inner; and 
 a tubular beam disposed in an open volume between the sill inner and the sill outer, 
 wherein the tubular beam comprises a transverse cross-sectional shape extending continuously along a length of the tubular beam; 
 wherein the tubular beam comprises a metal sheet formed to have a plurality of tubular members that include hollow openings along the length of the tubular beam; 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam comprises an inboard portion having an inboard height dimension and an outboard portion having an outboard height dimension that is less than the inboard height dimension; 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam comprises an upper wall and a lower wall that extend between the respective upper and lower ends of the inboard portion and the outboard portion to form a tapered shape; and 
 wherein the transverse cross-sectional shape comprises inner and outer walls and the upper and lower walls are integrally connected to surround at least one tubular section that extends along the length of the tubular beam. 
 
     
     
       17. The rocker component of  claim 16 , wherein the tubular beam comprises a common center wall that extends between the upper and lower walls and divides an interior volume of the tubular beam to form at least two tubular sections.